Anne De Villemejane

Anne De Villeméjane takes her viewers into her poetic world populated with her imaginary feminine sculptures made in bronze, cement, acrylic, resin or crystal. Her ethereal figures are both fragile and powerful at the same time. His work reflects the expression of human nature, exuding worldly energy, while also appearing as if in a dream. Villeméjane started her artistic path with photography, then painting and came to sculpture to pursue her attraction for the work of the texture. Curious about the different techniques available and searching for new means of expression, she came to master the complexities of several making processes. Villeméjane was born in Paris in 1964 and now lives and works in New York. She followed intensive training at various art schools including Massachusetts College of Art, The Museum School of Boston, Harvard University and the DeCordova Museum. She was originally recognized for her rare sensitivity with a strong sense of color and texture in her collages. Noticed at the New York Art Expo in 2000 by the renowned Italian artist and gallery owner Lorenzo Cascio, she was introduced to bronze sculpture and developed a passion for it, creating and casting most of her artwork in her early years. Her work is represented in numerous private collections in Europe and the USA. Her work has been exhibited in the galleries both nationally and internationally including Madelyn Jordon Fine Art Gallery, Galerie Mark Hachem, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Centre Culturel, Christiane Peugeot, deCordova Museum Schools, Monroe Center for the Arts and Boston Photo Imaging.

Figurative sculptures mix reality and imagination, with the most common muse being the human body. Animals are also inspirations for these sculptures, along with forms found in nature.

While figurative sculpture dates back over 35,000 years, the term came into popularity in the 20th century to distinguish it from abstract art. It was aligned with the Expressionist movement in that many of its artists portrayed reality but in a nonnaturalistic and emotional way. In the 1940s, Alberto Giacometti — a Swiss-born artist who was interested in African art, Cubism and Surrealism — created now-iconic representational sculptures of the human figure, and after World War II, figurative sculpture as a movement continued to flourish in Europe.

Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon were some of the leading figurative artists during this period. Artists like Jeff Koons and Maurizio Cattelan propelled the evolution of figurative sculpture into the 21st century.

Figurative sculptures can be whimsical, uncanny and beautiful. Their materials range from stone and wood to metal and delicate ceramics. Even in smaller sizes, the sculptures make bold statements. A bronze sculpture by Salvador Dalí enhances a room; a statuesque bull by Jacques Owczarek depicts strength with its broad chest while its thin legs speak of fragility. Figurative sculptures allow viewers to see what is possible when life is reimagined.

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